Secured flexible case for police or military baton

Abstract

A flexible scabbard for securing a baton to equipment worn by a user includes a holster, a cover, and a clip. The holster and cover are made from flexible material. A strip of a first half of a hook and loop fastener wrapping around a top of the front of the holster and a first half of a snap fastener at a center of the front of a holster. The cover has a rear portion extending from the back of the holster to a forward portion having first and second security portions. A second half of the hook and loop fastener extends across the first and second security portions, with a second half of the snap fastener in the middle. When the halves of the snap fastener are engaged and the first and second halves of the hook and loop fastener are engaged, the hook and loop fastener in the security portions is orientated in a shear direction with respect to a release direction of the snap fastener.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A scabbard for securing a baton to equipment worn by a user, the scabbard comprising:
 a holster having a flat back and a curved front, the holster further comprising a strip of a first half of a hook and loop fastener wrapping around a top of the curved front of the holster and a first half of a snap fastener at a center of the top of the front of the holster; 
 a cover fabricated from flexible material having a rear portion extending from the back of the holster, and further extending to a forward portion having a distal end, the distal end including first and second security portions opposite each other extending across a width of the distal end, a second half of the hook and loop fastener extending across the width of the distal end including the first and second security portions, the hook and loop fastener having a shear direction, and a second half of the snap fastener disposed between the first and second security portions, the snap fastener having a release direction extending away from the center of the top of the holster; 
 a clip attached to the back of the scabbard; 
 wherein when the first and second halves of the snap fastener are engaged and the first and second halves of the hook and loop fastener are engaged, the hook and loop fastener in the first and second security portions is orientated with its shear direction aligned with the release direction of the snap fastener. 
 
     
     
       2. The scabbard of  claim 1 , further comprising a baton cradle disposed on the rear portion of the cover and aligned with and above the holster. 
     
     
       3. The scabbard of  claim 2 , wherein the baton cradle is flexible foam molded in a shape to match an outer circumference of a handle of a baton. 
     
     
       4. The scabbard of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the distal end including the security portions exceeds a width of the rear portion of the cover. 
     
     
       5. The scabbard of  claim 1 , wherein the front of the holster is U-shaped. 
     
     
       6. The scabbard of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second security portions extend to at least 90° on either side of the snap fastener when engaged on the holster. 
     
     
       7. The scabbard of  claim 1 , wherein the holster is fabricated from a flexible material. 
     
     
       8. The scabbard of  claim 1 , wherein the holster and cover are fabricated from a single piece of flexible material. 
     
     
       9. The scabbard of  claim 8 , further comprising a resilient strip sewn to the flexible material from the rear portion of the cover to the forward portion of the cover to support the cover in an open position. 
     
     
       10. The scabbard of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible material further comprises a fabric and foam laminate. 
     
     
       11. The scabbard of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible material further comprises a fabric and closed cell foam laminate that has been molded to a desired shape. 
     
     
       12. The scabbard of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible material further comprises a ballistic weave fabric and closed cell foam laminate which is molded to form the curved front of the holster and flat back of the holster, and wherein the flexible material is folded over and the curved front is sewn to the flat back to form the holster. 
     
     
       13. The scabbard of  claim 1 , wherein the clip is attached to the back of the scabbard by retaining plate that is disposed between the back of the holster and the rear portion of the cover and an attachment plate. 
     
     
       14. The scabbard of  claim 13 , wherein the attachment plate is sewn to the back of the holster and rear portion of the cover. 
     
     
       15. A scabbard for securing a baton to equipment worn by a user, the scabbard comprising:
 a holster fabricated from flexible material having a flat back and a curved front, the holster further comprising a strip of a first half of a hook and loop fastener wrapping around a top of the curved front of the holster and a first half of a snap fastener at a center of the top of the front of the holster; 
 a cover fabricated from flexible material having a rear portion extending from the back of the holster, and further extending to a forward portion having a distal end, the distal end including first and second security portions opposite each other extending across a width of the distal end exceeding a width of the rear portion of the cover, a second half of the hook and loop fastener extending across the width of the distal end including the first and second security portions, the hook and loop fastener having a shear direction, and a second half of the snap fastener is disposed between the first and second security portions, the snap fastener having a release direction extending away from the center of the top of the holster; 
 a baton cradle disposed on the rear portion of the cover and aligned with and above the holster; and 
 a clip attached to the back of the scabbard; 
 wherein when the first and second halves of the snap fastener are engaged and the first and second halves of the hook and loop fastener are engaged, the hook and loop fastener in the first and second security portions is orientated with its shear direction aligned with the release direction of the snap fastener. 
 
     
     
       16. The scabbard of  claim 15 , wherein the baton cradle is flexible foam molded in a shape to match an outer circumference of a handle of a baton. 
     
     
       17. The scabbard of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second security portions extend to at least 90° on either side of the snap fastener when engaged on the holster. 
     
     
       18. The scabbard of  claim 15 , wherein the holster and cover are fabricated from a single piece of flexible material. 
     
     
       19. The scabbard of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible material further comprises a fabric and foam laminate. 
     
     
       20. The scabbard of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible material further comprises a fabric and closed cell foam laminate that has been molded to form the curved front of the holster and flat back of the holster, and wherein the flexible fabric is folded and the front of the holster is sewn to the back of the holster. 
     
     
       21. The scabbard of  claim 15 , wherein the clip further comprises a mounting plate having a plurality of horizontal slots and an adjustable spacer insertable in each of the plurality of horizontal slots, wherein at least one of the slots is located such that when the adjustable spacer is inserted therein a position of the scabbard is raised relative to the equipment worn by the user.